Automatic window cleaning device



L. P. BLACK AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE May 20, 1969 Sheet Filed on. 19, 1965 INVENTOR May 20, 1969 L. P. BLACK AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE Sheet Z ore Filed Oct. 19, 1965 Ill/ll fill/I111!!! hH NH P WS SN W6 HUM" F mum @N N? May 20, 1969 L. P. BLACK AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE Filed Oct. 19, 1965 Sheet +0 non $4 82?. fi 2 a a2 27: .+.ri-r. i. i

82 F2 $2 at m m l May 20, 1969 I... P. BLACK 3,444,580

AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE Filed Oct. 19, 1965 Sheet 4 of e I 111 1111/ III! I! ii 85 Hi 1-83 iii 4/ 119 ii:

h 1 22 H 123 L; Filming: I (Q l 1 N Ill/ .125 120 119 121 1 6 :2 9 INVENTOR x M J5 1 May 20, 1969 L. P. BLACK AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE Sheet 5 of6 Filed Oct. 19, 1965 INVENTUR May 20, 1969 P. BLACK AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE 6 ore Sheet Filed Oct. 19, 1965 INVENTOR M99175 United States Patent 3,444,580 AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE Leon Paul Black, 215 E. Chestnut St., Asheville, N.C. 28801 Filed Oct. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 497,803 Int. Cl. A471 1/02 US. Cl. -302 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Windows having mullions are cleaned by directing liquid angularly toward the window by way of a nozzle mounted for rotation through a circle whose diameter approximates the width of the window. The arm supporting the nozzle is pivoted on a carriage which moves the length of the window in one cleaning cycle, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Thus, the nozzle moving in a helical path covers the whole of the window to be cleaned. After a programmed number of cleaning cycles, compressed air is supplied to the rotating nozzle to dry the window.

The present invention relates to window cleaning devices and more particularly to devices for cleaning and drying the external surfaces of window panes of a doublehung type of sash from the interior of buildings.

The various methods hitherto proposed for cleaning and drying the external surfaces of window panes have not proven successful, because the mechanisms employed were inconvenient in use for the reason that they were devised more or less in imitation of the technique employed in hand cleaningnot suitable for mechanical substitution--that of rubbing the panes back and forth with a wet rag, sponge or felt and then passing over with a squeegee, the upper and lower sashes being required to be cleaned separately, first one then the other. Moreover, windows with mullions could not be cleaned at all by the springpressed reciprocating rags and squeegees, and the rags, felts and sponges usually became promptly saturated with grit and sand which would scratch the panes.

However, the very hard, non-porous and smooth surface of glass readily casts off the dust, dirt and soot that normally accumulate on window panes when under the influence of jets of plain water, pressure-sprayed at a suitable angle alternately first in one and then in the opposite direction a plurality of times, so that the entire working surface, including corners of the sashes and mullions, if present, may be reached for cleaning and drying thoroughly. Yet, a more effective result may be obtained if the spraying fluid contains some dirt-soluble cleansing ingredient in a suitable proportion, such as soda, borax, ammonia, alcohol, or any of the numerous brands of detergents or special preparations for the purpose, then rinsed with ordinary water preparatory to drying by blowing of air at room temperature, or better yet by warm air, which would cause droplets of water to be diffused from the glass and the remaining moisture left after the rinsing operation will be readily evaporated. However, some of these cleansing substances such as ammonia and alcohol, having discoloring or otherwise detrimental effect on the painted surfaces of the window frame, hence are not appropriate for the purpose. Currently, most professional window cleaners use nothing but ordinary water for both cleaning and rinsing, while the drying is being done with a squeegee. It is ap parent therefore that using only a rotary, pressure-spraying nozzle for cleaning, rinsing and drying, without mechanical contacts with the glass being cleaned, is more appropriate in many respects than methods hitherto proposed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a poweroperated entirely automatic device comprising means for I 3,444,580 Patented May 20, 1969 compressing air together with control and actuating mechanisms, associated therewith, including a nozzle adapted for a compound rotary and linear movement in one direction and, after a predetermined number of revolutions, in the opposite direction, along the area of both window sashes, for pressure-spraying a cleaning fluid, which may be plain water or mixed with a dirt-soluble cleansing ingredient, at a suitable angle with respect to the window panes, so that every portion, including corners of sashes and mullions, will be jet-sprayed to dislodge and cast away the dirt from their surfaces, then rinsed with plain water spray, and finally dried by blowing of air, slightly warmed up by the act of compression; the cleaning, rinsing and drying operations being accomplished consecutively in a predetermined cycle, without any aid from the operator. This procedure avoids using a sponge, felt or fabric of any kind for cleaning and a squeegee for drying operationmethod currently employed-which materials inevitably accumulate small particles of grit or sand, causing scratches of the panes of glass.

Another object of the invention is to provide an exterior window cleaning device comprising a relatively thin base plate, which is adapted to be mounted and secured on the window sill, a portion of which extends outside the window. The forward portion of it supports the actuating and controlling mechanisms and the rear portion a spraying nozzle adapted for a compound movement along the vertical oblong area of both sashes. The purpose of having the base plate as thin as consistent with its rigidity is to permit lowering the front sash nearly completely for all practical purposes into contact with the base plate, so that the cleaning, rinsing and drying operations may be performed on both sashes simultaneouslya feature which was not possible heretofore. The slight elevation of the sash, due to the interposing base plate, has no efliect whatsoever on the thorough cleaning of the windows because of the method employed. An endless cord or cable and a narrow tubing, positioned in recesses of the base plate, serve as connecting means between mechanisms located in the front and those in the rear of the base plate.

Another object is the provision of convenient clamping means securing the base plate and its supporting mechanisms on the sill of the window to be cleaned, comprising a toggle mechanism which is operable by a shift of a lever in combination with two laterally projecting lugs formed at each end of the base plate, which lugs are adapted for engagement with the vertically extending sash grooves of the front sash so that when the shifting lever is moved to the clamping position, a three-point clamping effect will securely hold the base plate on the sill, and it will always be centrally positioned and in accurate parallelism with the window panes, without any adjustment being required by the operator. The front sash bearing on the base plate will additionally stabilize the base plate and its supporting mechanisms during the cleaning operation.

Another object is the provision of a device requiring no mechanical contact between the working elements of the device and the window panes during the cleaning and drying operations, so that windows provided with vertical and horizontal mullions would be as easily cleaned as those without any mullions, which was impossible to accomplish by the hitherto proposed mechanical devices.

Another object is to provide a device for cleaning the exterior surfaces of window panes by air-pressurized fluid and for subsequent drying by blowing of slightly warmed air, without any mechanical contact between the device and the window panes, avoiding thereby scratching and accidental breakage of the panes.

Another object is the provision of a power-operated, single rotary nozzle adapted for jet-spraying in regular succession a cleaning fluid, then a rinsing fluid, and finally warm air for drying, at a suitable angle relative to the sashes, first in one direction and then in the reverse direction while simultaneously moving up and down along the vertical extent of both sashes, to cover the entire area to be cleaned and dried, such alternate motions of the nozzle being automatically performed a multiple number of times during the cycle of operation. The single nozzle, being removable, may be easily substituted by a double one whereby, in operation, while one nozzle rotates in one direction along one-half of the window, the other will rotate in the opposite direction along the other one-half, increasing thereby the efiiciency of the device twofold in the same period of time.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention, together with their attendant advantages, will be apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the accompanying specification and drawings, forming a part there of, it being premised that changes may be made in the various details and the manner of operation within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the device embodying the present invention, partly in section, representing the general arrangement of components therein;

FIG. 2-A is a top plan view, certain parts being broken away or shown in section, representing, on an enlarged scale, the right-side portion of the power-actuating and controlling mechanisms, located under the housing in FIG. 1 as well as fluid reservoirs and tubular connections thereto;

FIG. 2-B is a top plan view, certain parts being broken away or shown in section, representing, on an enlarged scale, the left-side portion of the power-actuating and controlling mechanisms, located under the housing in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 1, illustrating the front and rear portions of the base plate in respect to the sash, and further illustrating the clamping mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a vertical front elevation of the upper portion of the guide post and the nozzle carrying carriage associated therewith;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical front elevation of a typical window, as viewed from the inside of the room illustrating the relative positions of the sashes with respect to the window cleaning device of the present invention as well as the elliptic path of the spraying nozzle;

FIG. 7 is a vertical elevation of a bracket, taken along the line 77 of FIG. 2-B, illustrating a portion of the automatic stop mechanism, including a microswitch and operating lever and a cam associated therewith;

FIG. 8 is a vertical elevation of the ratchet wheel and cooperating pawl-carrying member and a spring-pressed retainer of the automatic stop mechanism;

FIG. 9 is a detail view, partly in section, of the ball ratchet constituting part of the intermittent drive mechanism in one direction for the air valve controlling mechanrsm;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the eccentric-operated ratchet mechanism, taken substantially along the line 10 10 of FIG. 2A;

FIGS. 11-A to FIGS. 11-I are views of the individual members of the periodic direction-reversing mechanism forming a part of FIG. 2B;

FIG. 12 is a detail view of the hollow shaft constituting part of the air valve controlling mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a developed view of a portion of the shaft illustrated in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 represents a variation of the nozzle-carrying arm; and

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a hinged clamp for use in conjunction with the guide post on abnormally high windows.

In order that the invention may be readily understood,

it is believed that a preliminary brief outline of the prin cipal mechanisms of the device will be helpful.

Referring to FIG. 1 it will be observed, on the left side of the drawing, that there is an air compressor 4 coupled to an electric motor 2 and a starting pushbutton switch 300 which, when pressed down by the operator, will energize the motor and it will automatically perform all the predetermined sequential functions of the device, and upon completion of the series of functions in the cycle of operation, will stop also automatically.

The device is placed on the sill of the Window to be cleaned, and it will be observed in FIG. 1, that at both longitudinal ends of the base plate there is a lug 250 fitting into the vertical grooves of the lower sash and a toggle clamping mechanism in the center, which is manually operated to thus effectively secure the device on the sill. Then the lower sash is lowered into contact with the base plate, the electrical circuit is connected to the house outlet, and the pushbutton is pressed down.

Shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B and to be later described in detail are a geared speed reducer, a rotation-reversing mechanism operable after a predetermined number of revolutions, a mechanism for effecting a compound rotary and vertical reciprocating motion of the spraying nozzle, a mechanism effective for distributing the compressed air, in timed relation, into the cleaning fluid reservoir, into the rinsing fluid reservoir, and directly to the spraying nozzle, and an automatic stop mechanism for the motor.

From inspection of the FIG. 6 it will be observed that the rotary nozzle 60 moves along an elliptic path, in a single pass along both sashes with multiples of such passes in the cycle of operation, as illustrated therein bybroken lines jet spraying at a suitable angle in all directions with constantly changing direction of motion so that all corners of sashes and mullions will be reached by the cleaning fluid and rinsing fluid from the respective reservoirs, by the action of the air compressor, and followed by blowing of warm air directly from the compressor for drying.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention may be conveniently divided into five main sections, namely (1) The power-operated actuating and controlling mechanism; (2)The carriage-nozzle operating mechanism; (3) The fluid valve control mechanism; (4)-The clamping mechanism; and (5)-The automatic stop mechanism, and will be discussed in that order.

(1)-THE POWER-OPERATED ACTUATING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM Referring especially to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the base plate 1 supports a fractional H.P. electric motor 2 to which it is secured by screws. The motor is provided with a horizontally extending shaft on both sides of its frame, not shown, adapted for operating a source of compressed air including a rotary air compressor 4 on one side thereof, and it is further provided with a keyed thereto worm 5 on the opposite end of the shaft, which worm is in mesh with a worm wheel 6, keyed to the horizontal short shaft 7, disposed at right angles to the motors shaft and enclosed in the lateral extension 8 of the motor frame, as shown in FIG..2B. Such motor-driven air compressors and gearreducers are commercially available in a wide range of load carrying capacities and gear ratios, and do not require a detailed description thereof.

At the protruding end of shaft 7 a bevel pinion 9 is secured at 10, which drives a bevel gear 11 mounted on horizontally extending shaft 12 and is secured thereto by a pin 13. The shaft 12 is journaled in vertically extending brackets 14 and 15 (FIGS. 2-B and 7), secured by screws 16 to the base plate 1, and carries two bevel gears 17 and 18 which have mutual meshing engagement with an idler bevel gear 19, adapted for free rotation on a shouldered vertically disposed stud 20, the shouldered end of which is screwed to the base plate. The reduced hub portion of the bevel gear 17 has a pressed fit into the bore of the spur gear 21 to revolve therewith. The gear 21 has a hub 22 which is fastened to the shaft 12 by a pin 23. The bevel gear 18 has identical connection with the spur gear 24, which has no hub. Since the gear 17 is fixed to shaft 12 and gear 18 is not, they will always revolve in the opposite direction to each other and at the same speed, by virtue of their mutual engagement with the idler gear 19, as indicated by arrows in FIG 2-B. The shaft pinned to gears 11 and 21 and the friction preventing washers 25, such as made of Teflon, prevent axial displacement of elements mounted on shaft 12.

The spur gear 21 drives spur gear 26 and spur gear 24 drives spur gear 27, mounted on shaft 28 which is journaled in the same brackets 14 and 15. Gears 26 and 27 are free to rotate on shaft 28. Since the relatively high speed of the electric motor is too great for operating the various mechanisms of the device, a speed reduction is required between them. This is being accompilshed in part by the geared ratio of the paired driver and driven gears: gears 9 and 11, gears 21 and 26, and gears 24 and 27. A larger proportion of speed reduction is being derived from the worm 5 and worm wheel drive 6 which may be suitable for the purpose, such as to 1, 40 to 1, etc. ratio; in addition, motors having different speeds being available on the market.

Gears 26 and 27 have each an integral hub 29 which are provided with clutch sawteeth, one right and one left-hand, adapted for cooperation with the shiftable clutch member 30 having clutch teeth of the corresponding hand at each side thereof. The clutch member 30 is double-keyed at 31 to shaft 28 to revolve with it (FIG. 7), yet it is freely slidable thereon. It will be observed, in FIG. 2-B, that the driving sides of clutch teeth have a negative or releasing angle 32 of about 5 to 8 degrees, with respect to the axis of their shaft, in order that the clutch member 30 may be shifted from one side to the other with a minimum of effort under load. The central portion of the shaft 28, that which is keyed to the clutch member 30, is of larger diameter than the rest, so that the gears 26 and 27 be separated from each other by the length of said larger diameter.

Another spur gear 33 is keyed at 34 to shaft 28 and it is in meshing engagement with the spur gear 35 freely rotatable on shaft 36, which is journaled in the same brackets 14 and 15. Gears 26, 27, 33 and 35 are all of equal pitch diameter, but it will be observed in FIG. 2-B and as little arrows on these gears indicate, that gears 26 and 27 revolve always in opposite direction to each other, while gears 33 and 35 revolve alternately in opposite direction, depending on which side the shifting clutch member 30 is in engagement at the time. Antifriction spacing washers 37, such as Teflon, keep all elements on shaft 28 in cor rect axial positions and in meshing alignment with those on shafts 12 and 36. The shaft 28 has an extension projecting on the outer side of bracket 15, to which one-half of a coupling 38 is pinned at 39, which operates another mechanism hereinafter described.

The actuating means for positively shifting the clutch member 30 from one side to the other at predetermined intervals, comprises a peripheral cam 40 adapted for partial rotation of about 60 first in one and then in the opposite direction, and which is mounted at the right-hand end of shaft 36 and is fixed thereto by a pin 41. The motion transferring means between the cam 40 and the clutch member 30 are as follows. A lever 42 is pivoted on the shouldered vertically disposed stud 43, the lower end of which is screwed to the base plate 1 and the upper end being provided with a washer and a nut 44. A stud carrying a roller 45 is fixed to the free end of the lever 42 on its underside, which roller is in operative engagement with the cam groove formed on the periphery of the cam 40. Another horizontally extending lever 46, which is longer than lever 42, is pivoted on the upper end of the shouldered stud 47 provided with a washer and a nut, 48, and similarly as stud 43, it is screwged to the base plate. The opposite end of the lever 46 is provided with a fixed stud carrying a roller 49, which is in operative engagement with the annular groove 50 formed in the center of the clutch member 30. Both levers 42 and 46 are operatively connected together by a link 51, one end of which is connected to the upper portion of the roller carrying stud and the other end to the shouldered stud 52 fixed above the lever 46 at near its central point. Washers and cottor pins 53 keep the link in position.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that when the shaft 36, to which the cam 40 is locked, is turned about 60 in one direction, the clutch member 30 will be positively shifted to one side for engagement with the gear 26, and when the shaft 36 is turned the same amount in the opposite direction, the clutch member will be shifted to the other side for engagement with the gear 27. Since gears 26 and 27, as indicated by arrows and as already stated, rotate always in opposite direction to each other, the gear 33 and consequently gear 35 in mesh therewith will change direction of their rotation every time the shaft 36 has turned through a constant number of angular degrees.

In order that the above-mentioned coupling 38, which is adapted for operating another mechanism yet to be described may turn alternately first in one and then in the opposite direction after a predetermined number of revolutions in one direction, a programming mechanism arranged on shaft 36 is provided for the purpose. The requirement for efficient operation is that such reversals of motions be made twice during each of the cleaning, rinsing and drying operations, or six reversals in a complete cycle of operations. This periodic motion-reversing mechanism will now be described in detail.

The spur gear 35, which is free on shaft 36 and being adapted for rotation in either direction in accordance with the position assumed by the clutch member 30, as already stated, is provided with a pressed-in actuating pin 54, which is adapted for periodic engagement with one side then with the opposite side of the adjacent member 55 (FIGS. 2-B and l1A), having an integral lug 56 extending at right angles and which has its sides cut to radial lines (FIG. 11). The number of complete revolutions that the gear 35 must make in one direction before reversing itself, may be any suitable number, i.e., 6, 7, 8, 9 or any other, but for the sake of easy understanding of the mechanism, let it be assumed that the number is 8. Therefore there are 8 such members 55 located side by side in a row with friction-preventing Teflon washers 57 interposed between them, as clearly shown in FIG. 2-B. At the right-end of the set of members 55 there is another member 58 having a straight integral projection 59 (FIGS. 1lH and I), with which the lug 56 of the member 55 adjacent to it is periodically in engagement at either side thereof. If desired that the reversing motion should occur after 6 or 7 revolutions, for example, then there would be 6 or 7 such members 55 on shaft 36, each being of slightly thicker cross-section or using thicker washers 57, to fill the available space between the gear 35 and the member 58. The latter is locked to shaft 36 by a pin 59-A.

The arrangement of members 55 on shaft 36 is such that the lug 56 of one is periodically in engagement with one then the opposite side of the body (not lug, as lugs 56 are never in contact with each other) of the adjacent member consecutively, beginning from the gear 35 and ending at the member 58. When the gear 35 rotates clockwise, the pin 54 will be hearing against the left-side body of the member 55 adjacent to it, as shown in FIG. 2-B, and when at regular intervals the direction of rotation of said gear is changed to counter-clockwise (by the combined action of the cam 40 and the clutch member 30), the pin 54 will shift to the right-side of the same member, as shown in FIG. ll-A. Such shift of position of the pin 54 will necessitate the gear 35 to make one complete revolution. At each reversal of motion, when the actuating pin 54 pushes the member 55-1 adjacent to it, the remaining members will be dwelling until the turn of each will gradually arrive upon each succeeding revolution of the gear 35. This is so because the lug 56 being left on the opposite side of the adjoining members from the previous 8 revolutions (compare FIG. ll-H with FIG. 11-1), they must be brought in contact again with each other step-by-step at each succeeding revolution of the gear 35; the lug 56 of member 551 pushing member 552, the lug of the latter pushing member 55-3, etc., until the member 55-8 is reached after 8 revolutions of the gear 35, which will cause the member 58 to be shifted from position in FIG. 1'1-H to that in FIG. 11-1, or viceversa, depending in which direction the gear 35 revolves at the time.

All lugs 56 being always in engagement with adjacent bodies of members 55 at either side, are therefore being disposed at different relative angular positions on shaft 36, and for this reason only one lug 56 is illustrated in FIG. 2B, and lugs of the remaining members being shown broken away. FIG. 11 illustrates how the angular position of each individual member 55 is being altered after one, two, three, etc. complete revolutions of the gear 35, and the resulting effect on the position of the lug 59 of member 58 upon completion of 8 revolutions alternately in opposite directions.

The relative angular position of each member 55 of the set, as viewed from the right-side of the shaft 36, is illustrated in FIG. 1lH upon completion of 8 consecutive revolutions of the gear 35 in the counter-clockwise direction, and in FIG. ll-I upon completion of 8 consecutive revolutions in the clockwise direction. In these figures the lugs 56 of the set of members appear to be in contact with the contiguous lugs. In reality, they are not and cannot be in contact, because members 55 being positioned side-by-side in a row on shaft 36, each is located in a different plane, as can be seen in FIG. 2-B. Since member (2)THE CARRIAGE AND THE NOZZLE OPERATING MECHANISM Referring to FIGS. 1, 4, and 14, a nozzle '60 is carried by an arm 61, which is adapted for simultaneous rotation and vertical motion in one, then in the opposite direction after a predetermined number of such compound motions are made, at a relatively slow speed, along the elliptical path which is illustrated in broken lines at 62 in FIG. 6 covering the oblong area of both the upper 63 and lower 64 sashes at the same time, on the outside of the window to be cleaned and dried. The nozzle carrying arm 61, preferably made of light and corrosion-resistant material, such as aluminum, has a hub 65 for connection to the drive and a tapered U-shaped bodyin which the nozzle tubing 60-A fits-which body ends in a boss 66 for the set screw 67. The nozzle 60 is preferably made of a rigid and corrosion-resistant tubing, such as stainless steel, having a threaded connection or otherwise snug lit in the hole provided for it in the hub 65' of the arm 61, and it is further secured thereto by the set screw 67 (FIGS. 4 and 5). The free end of the tubing is bent to a suitable acute angle, such as between 30 and 45 degrees, in the direction of the sashes, as shown in FIG. 1, and is provided with a threaded or pressed-fit plug (not shown) having a pinpoint size aperture so as to produce successively a fine jet spray of suitable cleansing fiuid which may be plain waterthen water for rinsing from respective reservoirs under pressure from the air compressor, and finally, blowing air, slightly warmed by the act of compression, for drying the panes. FIG. 14 represents a variation of the arm 61, which has a central hub 65-A for connection to the drive and is provided with two nozzle tubings 60A of similar construction, for greater efiiciency. When the rotary double-nozzle is used instead of a single one, one-half of both sashes will be jet sprayed in opposite direction to the other one-half, and the cleaning, rinsing and drying operations will thereby be expedited twofold in the same period of time.

It will be observed in FIG. 1 that the nozzle 60 operates at a suitable distance from window panes, and that there are no mechanical elements of the device in connection with them during the operation, and consequently, the e is no possibility of interfering with mullions 68 on sashes, if present. Since a large proportion of upper sashes is provided with mullions, this feature of the device is of great practical importance. Another important advantage of not having direct mechanical contact with the panes due to the process employed, is that grit and sand, always present on the outer surface of sashes being cleaned, cannot scratch or dull the panes.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the nozzle-carrying arm 61 is mounted on the horizontally extending, relatively long hub 69, which is integral with the pinion 70. The arm 61 is secured on the reduced diameter of the hub 69 by a key 71, a washer 72 and a nut 73. The hub 69 is journaled for rotation in the boss 74 formed on the upper portion of the carriage 75, which is adapted for sliding movement on the vertically disposed bar or post 76 having ribs 77 for rigidity, which are illustrated, in section, in the lower portion of the FIG. 4, and which are tapered upward (FIGS. 3 and 5). The carriage is provided with three laterally extending bosses 78 (FIG. 5), into which shouldered screws 79each carrying a double-flanged roller 80 for free rotation thereonare screwed. Two rollers 80 on one side and one on the opposite side of the post 76, assure free travel of the carriage. The single shouldered screw 79 on the left side (FIG. 4) may have an eccentric portion, as indicated at 81, whereby correct sliding adjustment of the carriage may be made and then locked by a nut 82. The post 76 is fastened by screws 83 to an angle plate 84, provided with a central rib 85 for rigidity (FIG. 3). The angle plate 84, the vertical portion of which is tapered upward (FIG. 6), is secured by screws 86 to the rear portion of the base plate 1that which extends outside of the window-as shown in FIG. 3. Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, a rack gear 87, which is adapted for operating with the pinion 70, extends along most of the length of the bar 76, and is secured thereto by fastening means, such as rivets 88. The toothed side of the rack 87 is reduced somewhat to the thickness of the pinion 70 with which it meshes, to provide a working clearance between the pinion and the bar 76, as shown at 89 in FIGS. 5 and 15. To avoid friction between the parts, Teflon washers 90 are provided at either side of the boss 74. The upper end of the post 76 is provided with a bracket 91, secured thereto by screws 92, carrying a V- shaped roller 93, adapted for rotation on a short shaft 94 which is pinned to bracket 91 at 95.

A flexible cord or cable 96 of suitable material, such as made of a plurality of fine metal strands, is shown fastened by the eye 97 brazed to one of its ends, and by a pin 98 in the slot formed in the lug 99 projecting upwardly from the boss 74. The cable 96 partially surrounds the roller 93 and extends downwardly at the rear of the post 76 toward the power-actuating mechanism now to be described, then upwardly through a clearance hole 100 formed in the angle plate 84 (FIG. 3) to the lower end of the tension-regulating turnbuckle 101, which has its upper end secured by a pin 102 in the slot 103 formed in the downwardly projecting lug 104 of the carriage 75. Thus, the cable has both ends attached to the carriage 75, and is in effect an endless cable adapted for pulling it alternately up and down within predetermined The power-actuating mechanism is adapted for pulling the cable 96 downwardly at the front side of the post 76 while simultaneously releasing equal length of cable at the rear side thereof upwardly, and after a predetermined length of such motion this function is reversed in the opposite direction a plurality of times in a cycle of operation, and includes a shaft 105 journaled in brackets 106 and 107, which are fastened by screws 108 to the base plate 1. The central portion of the shaft 105 is of substantially larger diameter than the rest and is provided with two flanges 109, constituting a winding drum 110 on which the cable 96 is wound several times between said flanges thus adapting the mechanism for alternately pulling the carriage up and down, depending in which direction it is being wound at the time. By means of the turnbuckle 101, proper tension of the endless cable may be readily adjusted.

The same brackets 106 and 107 support another shaft 111, secured thereto by a set screw 112, on which two guide rollers 113 and 114 are free to rotate, and which are similar in shape to roller 93. At each side of rollers 113 and 114 and the drum 110 there are friction-preventing washers 115. From inspection of FIGS. Z-A and 3, it will be observed that the cable upon leaving the drum, from both the upper and lower sides thereof, will be under the guide rollers 113 and 114, in the recess 116 milled out in the base plate 1 from below its surface, and a shorter recess 117 above its surface, to provide suitable working clearances for the cable. From this construction it will be evident that pulling of the endless cable on one side of the drum will equal the release on the other side thereof, regardless in which direction it is being rotated, and the guide rollers 113 and 114, by the influence of the moving cable, will always revolve in opposite direction to each other.

Referring again to FIG. 3, additional guide rollers 119 and 122, also V-shaped, are provided for the cable at the rear of the base plate 1, so that it may function without hindrance in the recess 116. The lower central portion of the angle plate 84 is provided with a boss 118, which is milled out from below to receive the guide roller 119, mounted on a short shaft 120 for free rotation thereon, for guiding the front side of the endless cable. A bracket 121, carrying a rotary guide roller 122 on a short shaft 123, is secured by screws (not shown) to the rear lower side of the angle plate 84, for guiding the rear side of the cable. To maintain rigidity of the base plate 1, at the central portion where clearance grooves 116 and 117 are cut, a transverse bar 124 under the base plate (just under the front sash) is provided (FIGS. 2A, 2-B and 3), which is secured from below by screws 125 and at the rear end of the base plate, by a transverse bar 126. A supporting screw 127 in the bar 126, bearing on the slant rear portion of the sill, is effective in stabilizing the overhanging base plate at that point. The left-side end of the shaft 105 (FIG. 2-B) is pinned at 128 to one-half of the coupling 38, which is in operative engagement with a similar onehalf mounted on shaft 28 briefly mentioned previously. Shafts 28 and 105 are therefore set in axial alignment.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that when the motor is operating, the arrangement of the intermediate mechanisms will cause the coupling 38 and the drum 110 to make 8 complete revolutions (the arbitrarily taken figure) in one direction, then 8 complete revolutions in the opposite direction, then repeat reversing themselves after each succeeding 8 revolutions so long the motor is kept operating. The diameter of the drum 110 and the pitch diameter of the pinion 70 being preferably alike and of such dimensions that, when at the beginning of the cycle (the cleaning operation) the drum 110 revolving clockwise, as viewed from the right side, consecutively 8 times, will pull the cable down at the rear side of the post 76 (FIGS. 3 and causing the carriage 75 to ascend from its predetermined lowest to the highest point of its vertical travel, and the arm 61 to make 8 consecutive revolutions also in clockwise direction, and during the following 8 revolutions of the drum in the reverse direction, it will pull the cable at the front side of the post 76, causing the carriage to descend to its original position and the arm 61 to turn 8 consecutive times in the counter-clockwise direction. For example, assuming that the diameter of both the drum 110 and the pinion being one inch, then the carriage will advance (3.1416" 8) 25.132 inchesjust the right amount for the average height of windows, as the length of the nozzle carrying arm 61 and the nozzle tubing 60A will cover the entire area worked upon (see FIG. 6).

Such vertical reciprocation of the carriage and rotation of the nozzle carrying arm 61 8 times in one, then in the reverse direction, will be repeated during the following rinsing and drying operations, making a total of 6 reciprocations of the carriage and 48 revolutions of the nozzle in both directions, after which the motor will be automatically stopped and the device will be ready for the next cycle of operations at another window. The relative length of time and the number of revolutions of the nozzle for cleaning may be different from that used for rinsing and drying operations, and may be varied as desired by means more fully pointed out hereinafter, without any alterations or adjustments being necessary in the presently described compound motion mechanism.

With reference to FIG. 5, the hub 69 is drilled through its center along most of its length and its end is threaded to receive a plug 129. The hub 69 is further provided with an annular groove 130, with one or two holes 131 in said groove, and with a hole 132 drilled through the hub 65 of the arm 61 or 61-A, after assembly, so that holes in both may be in alignment, which will be mainatined when removed and replaced, because they are keyed together at 71. A tubing 133, suitably bent and fastened by clamps 134 to the front side of the carriage (FIGS. 4 and 5), has one end suitably fixed in the hole 135 drilled in the lower side of the boss 74, which is in alignment with the annular groove 130. The other end of the tubing 133 projects laterally at 136 and may be connected by conventional threaded fittings or by a screw-pressed strap to a flexible tubing, such as made of rubber (not shown), having its other end similarly connected to a short, laterally projecting tube 137 of the threaded fitting 138 secured to the base plate 1. Since the flexible tubing is connected with one end to a fixed post on the base plate and with the other to the tubing carried by the vertically traveling carriage, it will straighten itself when the carriage is ascending and gradually curve itself into a U-shape when it descends to its lowest point. From this construction water and air alternately will pass without hindrance from the post 138 to the nozzle or nozzles during rotation of the hub 69.

The elements loaded at the rear portion of the base plate 1 outside the window, may preferably be made from aluminum and stainless steel, to avoid corrosion. In some cases, when the heights of windows to be cleaned is of abnormal extent, the post 76 may be of the necessary length, and to make it steadfast, a suitable clamp (FIG. 15) with an extension tubing or rod may be used, which are shown by broken lines in FIG. 6. The clamp is made in two sections 140 and 141, each being provided at their upper portions with horizontally extending integral lugs 142 and 143 respectively. A pin 144 is utilized to hinge the sections together, and adapted to grasp the lateral edges of the post 76 just below bracket 91. The clamp in this position will not interfere with the movement of the carriage 75. In addition, the section 140 is provided with a boss 145 into which is screwed to a shoulder 146 a vertically disposed relatively long stud 147 which is in threaded connection with a tubing 148, provided with a blunt-pointed hardened plug or a rubber cap 149 at its free end, adapted to contact the upper frame of the window (FIG. 6). The section 141 is provided at its lowest portion with another integral lug 150,

which is disposed at right-angles to lug 143. The lug 150 is forked at its outer edge at 151, through which a screw 152 may pass in and out. The enlarged annular portion of one end of the screw 152 is pivoted at the lower end of the stud 147 and is kept in position by a washer and a pin (not shown), and at its free end there is a washer 153 and a wing nut 154. The function of the screw 152 is to bring the mutually pivoted sections 140 and 141 in a firm grip with the lateral sides of the post 76, when the wing nut is tightened and thereby pushing the lower lug 150 toward the stud 147. In operation, the wing nut is loosened enough to permit manual sliding of the clamp upward until the tubing 148 contacts the upper frame of the window, then the wing nut is tightened securing thereby its position on the post 76, following which the tubing 148 is given a turn or two by hand at its knurled portion 155 (FIG. 6), causing it to advance upward (by the threaded connection with the stud 147) making a pressed contact with the upper frame of the window, resulting in appreciably stiffening the upper end of the post 76, since it is supported below by the screw 127 which is bearing on the rear portion of the sill, FIG. 3.

(3)THE FLUID VALVE CONTROL MECHANISM The fluid valve control mechanism provides a poweroperated, automatic distribution of the cleaning and rinsing fluids and air under pressure from the compressor toward the revolving nozzle or nozzles along both sashes, in the predetermined sequence and relative timing of each operation in a cycle. Referring to FIG. 2-A, the rightside of shaft 105 projects outwardly from the bracket 107 and on its reduced diameter there is mounted a disk 160, and an inner cam member of a free-wheeling ratchet 161. The latter is keyed to shaft 105 (FIG. 9), and cooperates with spring-pressed balls 163. The cup-shaped outer member 164 of the free-wheeling ratchet has a circular inner surface for engagement with the balls. An eccentric 165 is pinned at 166 to member 164, and a retaining collar 167 is pinned at 168 to shaft 105. Both the member 164 and the eccentric 165 are free on shaft 105. With reference to FIG. 10, the eccentric is surrounded by a connecting rod 169 having a lug 170 to which the longer arm of the pawl-carrier 171 is connected by a pin 172. The pawl-carrier is provided with a fixed pm 173 carrying a spring-pressed pawl 174, which cooperates with the ratchet wheel 175 adjacent to it and mounted on the reduced diameter of the shaft 176 for swinging movement thereon by the action of the eccentric. The ratchet wheel 175 has an integral hub 177 which is pinned at 178 to the shaft 176. The ratchet wheel spring retainer 179 is connected to a bracket 180 which is secured to the base plate by a screw 181.

The shaft 176 is journaled in brackets 182 and 183 which are fastened by screws 184 to the base plate 1, and it is prevented from axial movement by its central relatively larger diameter and washers 185, at which point it carries a stationary sleeve 186. It will be observed in FIG. 2-A that the upper portion of the bracket 182, where the shaft 176 is journaled, is provided with an inner annular groove 187 which is connected to a hole 188 drilled at the outerside of bracket, in which is screwed or otherwise secured therein one end of a tubing 189, suitably bent, the other end of which being connected to the outlet of the air compressor 4. The tubing may be fastened to the base plate 1 at suitable places by clamping means, such as shown at 190. The sleeve 186 is drilled to provide a row of holes, as illustrated, into which holes tight-fitting nipples 191 are screwed, and adapted to be connected by couplings 192 to individual tubing 193, 194 and 195. The shaft 176 is drilled through its center from its right-side at most of its length at 196 (FIG. 12), and has its end closed by a threaded plug 197. The shaft 176 is further provided with one or two holes 198, which are correlative to the annular groove 187 for passage of air from the compressor 4, and with three slots 199 on its periphery, which are correlative to nipples 191 of the sleeve 186. The development of the central portion of shaft 176, to show the relative position and angular extent of slots 199, is illustrated in FIG. 13.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and Z-A, there are two sources or reservoirs 200 and 201, secured to the base plate by screws 202. The first may contain a suitable cleaning fluid and the second ordinary water for rinsing. The tubing 193 is connected to reservoir 200 and tubing 194 to reservoir 201 by screw couplings 203 to nipples tightly secured to bosses 204 on top of reservoirs. In addition, both reservoirs are provided on top with relatively large nipples secured in bosses 205, brazed or otherwise attached to the reservoirs, for refilling, and hermetically sealed afterward by screw caps having hexagon or knurled rims 206, for convenience in handling by fingers. Tubings 207 and 208, which have similar screw connections 209 to the respective reservoirs 200 and 201, as well as tubing 195, are connected to the valve control block 210, their free ends fitting into holes 211 of the block. The latter has a flat cover 212, and both are secured to the base plate by screws 213. The block 210 is provided with grooves 214, 215 and 216'which are effective as extension channels to tubings 195, 207 and 208, respectively, and the block is further provided with a single outlet fitting 217, screwed to the block. Both fittings 217 and 138 (FIG. 1) are connected together by a tubing 218, which is located in a groove 219 milled from below in the base plate 1.

The block 210 contains also two feather-valves 220, adapted for a limited swinging motion on respective studs fixed to the block, which are effective in opening one channel for the passage of fluid or air while simultaneously closing the adjacent channels, under pressure from the air compressor 4. Hence the function of the block 210 is to automatically channel the flow of either fluid or air from tubing 195, the cleaning fluid from the reservoir 200- which may be plain water-or plain water from the reservoir 201, toward the single outlet channel 217, and simultaneously closing the channels not being used at the time, preventing thereby a back-flow under pressure, and possibly mixing the contents of one reservoir with that of the other.

From inspection of the FIG. 2A, it will be observed that the central channel 215 in the block is open for the flow of the cleaning fluid from the reservoir 200 toward the outlet 217, which causes one feather-valve 200 to swing to the left closing thereby the channel 214, and the second valve to swing to the right closing thereby the channel 216. Mention is made of the fact that only one channel at a time can be under pressure of the air compressor 4 (FIG. 13), hence while the channel 215 is in operation, channels 214 and 216 are not, because the staggered positions of slots 199 on shaft 176 have cut-01f air pressure to them. When the central valve slot 199 on shaft 176 is open, the right-side channel 216 would be operating and the feather valve adjacent thereto would be shifted by pressure of the rinsing water to the left, closing thereby the other channels, and when the right-side valve slot 199 is open, the channel 214 would be operating and the pressure of air flowing through it for the driving operation will cause shifting of both feather valves to the right, closing thereby the other channels. It will be noted that the layout of the valve slots on shaft 176 during its rotation in the direction of the arrow at the beginning of the cycle, makes opening of the cleaning fluid through the block 210 first, then in sequence, opening the rinsing water channel and after that opening the flow of air for drying, which completes the cycle of operations, ready to be repeated at another window.

The relative length of valve slots 199 one to the other and the relative disposition on the shaft 176, are the determining factors of the operating sequence and the relative length of time each channel will be in operation. The cleaning, rinsing and drying operations are arbitrarily set to be of equal duration in FIG. 13, but each valve slot 199 may be made relatively longer or shorter and obtaining thereby, for example, 180 for the cleaning, 90 for rinsing, and 90 for drying operation, or 240 for cleaning, 60 for rinsing, and 60 for drying operation, or any other suitable timing Thus, it will be appreciated that while the nozzle makes one revolution in either direction, the shaft 176 will rotate 7 30' (360:48) in one direction, since shaft 176 makes one revolution, the carriage 6 reciprocations (3 up and 3 down), and the nozzle 60 revotions (24 in one and 24 in the opposite direction) in a cycle of operations. Thus, in the first example (180, 90 and 90), the carriage 75 will move up, down and up again, and the nozzle 60 will make 60 revolutions (180:7 30') for cleaning; the carriage will move down and half-way up, and the nozzle will make 12 revolutions (90 17 30') for rinsing, and the carriage will move half-way up and down, and the nozzle will make 12 revolutions for drying. In the second example (240, 60 and 60), the carriage will move up, down, up and down again, and the nozzle will make 32 revolutions for cleaning; the carriage will move up, and the nozzle will make 8 revolutions for rinsing; the carriage will move down, and the nozzle will make 8 revolutions for drying.

One should bear in mind that the power-operated geared mechanism determining the number of revolutions that the nozzle should make in a cycle of operations, is entirely independent from the valve mechanism which controls the length of time the cleaning, rinsing and drying may relatively be performed in a cycle, hence, one or the other or both mechanisms may be independently altered as desired.

The valve control mechanism, just described is actuated by shaft 176 which must make only one unidirectional revolution in a cycle of operation while drive shaft 105 makes 48 revolutions in a cycle, reversing the direction of its rotation every 8 consecutive revolutions. The mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 2-A, 9 and converts the multirevolution bilateral motion of shaft 105 into unilateral single revolution required by shaft 176. At the beginning of the cycle, as the shaft 105 makes 8 complete revolutions clockwise (as viewed from the right-side in FIG. 2-A), the cam 161 keyed thereto will cause the outer member 164 and the attached eccentric 165 to rotate together, due to the spring-pressed wedging action of balls 163 in the inclined recesses of the cam. The connecting rod 169, cooperating with the eccentric 165, will cause the pawl-carrier 171 to swing back and forth and the pawl 174 to effect a feed movement equivalent to one tooth of the ratchet wheel 175 during each revolution of the shaft 105 or 8 ratchet teeth during the initial 8 revolutions of shaft 105. Since there are 24 teeth on the ratchet wheel, the feed movement of 8 teeth will rotate the shaft 176 to the extent of 120 (see FIG.13).

During the succeeding 8 revolutions of shaft 105 counterclockwise, the cam 161 will cause the balls 163 to compress springs 162 into the cam inclined toward the shaft, freeing thereby member 164 from being pulled along with the cam. Hence, the member 164 will dwell and consequently no movement of the eccentric 165 and ratchet wheel 175 will result during the said counter-clockwise 8 revolutions of the shaft 105. Such clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of shaft 105 and alternate rotation and dwell of the eccentric 165 will be repeated six times (48:8) in a cycle of operations.

The ball ratchet is effective in converting the normal 48 revolutions in both directions in a cycle of shaft 105 into 24 revolutions in one direction to the eccentric '165, with dwells of equal duration between movements, and the toothed ratchet 175 is effective in converting the movement of the eccentric into one complete revolution with periodic dwells to shaft 176. However, flow of air will continue uninterrupted from either slot 199 to a. channel 214, 215 or 216, which ever happens to be in operating position at the time, during the periodic dwells of the valve shaft 176. In other words, so long as the motor is operating, the flow of air to respective channels in the predetermined sequence is never interrupted, regardless whether the valve shaft 176 is rotating or dwelling. If the shaft 176 had advanced 60 during the time the shaft has made 8 revolutions, then advanced again 60 during the time the shaft 105 has made the second 8 revolutions in reverse, the result would have been exactly the same.

When air is compressed, heat is generated. In some other applications this feature is rather an impediment, but in this case it is a favorable faotor, as warm air speeds up evaporation of the moisture left on sashes after the cleaning and rinsing operations. The cleaning and rinsing fluids and then air passing through the pinhole in the nozzle or nozzles, under pressure of the air compressor, will cause a fine spray, which will be effective in dislodging the dirt and soot that normally accumulate on windows and fling them away, and the blowing of warm air will scatter the droplets of the rinsing water adhering to grass and evaporate the residual moisture.

At the beginning of the description a statement was made that cleaning of windows may satisfactorily be done by pressure spraying of plain water at a suitable angle, without any supplement being added to it. To accomplish this, the simplest procedure would be to fill both reservoirs 200 and 201 with ordinary water, then during both the cleaning and rinsing operations the spraying would be by water only. In exceptional cases, such as after a long interval between cleanings, for example, if desired, the reservoir 200 may be filled with the preferred cleansing fluid, without any adjustment being required in the mechanism, and then the reservoir 200 may again be filled with plain water for further normal use. In some cases the complete cycle of operation may be repeated before removal of the device from the sill then, for example, the reservoirs were left inadvertently empty, simply by pressing again the electric starting pushbutton, after the reservoirs have been replenished.

Various functions of the device in a cycle may be varied to suit particular conditions: the number of revolutions that the nozzle should make before reversing its rotation and the speed of rotation may be varied by the speed of the motor used, the gearing ratio employed, and the number of members 55 used, while the efficiency of the device may be varied by the pressure capacity of the air compressor, the relative timing of the valve control mechanism, and single or double-nozzle operation.

The inclusion of the air compressor on the base plate, makes the device self-contained, but, if desired, a small motor alone may be used on the base plate for various mechanical functions of the device, but it is obvious that the compressed air required may be obtained from a compressed air tank, or a motor-coupled compressor of conventional design, supported on a wheeled table, by a flexible hose connected to tubing 189.

(4 THE CLAMPI-N G MECHANISM When the device is placed on the sill of a window to be cleaned, it must be set in the center and in parallelism with the sashes and prevented from being shifted during the operation. This is being conveniently and efficiently accomplished by means of a base plate 1, which at its longitudinal ends is provided with projections or lugs 250, integral therewith, which are adapted for engagement with the vertical grooves 251 in which the lower sash 64 is operating (FIG.1). Windows of office buildings, hotels, hospitals, apartment buildings, etc., usually are of identical dimensions, except bathrooms, so the length of the base plate may be made suitable for most windows of a building. For use on windows in bathrooms, the base plate can be made as short as necessary. Moreover, instead of projections 250 being made integral with the 15 base plate, they can of course be made separate and adjustable by screws.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2-A and 3, at the front side, substantially at the center of the base plate 1, there is an operating lever 252, pivoted at a stud 253 having its shouldered lower end screwed into the base plate, and held in place by a washer 254 and a nut 255. The lever 252, adapted for manual shifting in both directions, is connected by a pivot having a head 256, the lower portion of which is peened under a washer 257, to a toggle link 258, con nected by a pin 259 to a trunnion 260 having a downwardly projecting integral portion 261 in swivel connection with the L-shaped clamp 262 and which has riveted to it a fiber or rubber lining 263. The clamp 262 is hinged to the base plate, one blade of the hinge being fastened to the clamp and the other blade 264 to the base plate by rivets 265, in the recess formed on its underside.

When positioning the device on the window sill, it is held at an angle of about 30, preferably the left-side down because of its heavier load. The lug 250 is introduced into the vertical left-side groove 251 of the front sash 64, then by lowering the right-side on the sill the lug 250 is introduced in the vertical right-side groove of the same sash, following which the operating lever 252 is manually shifted to the left, causing the base plate to be effectively clamped at three points: by lugs 250 in the sash grooves at both longitudinal ends of the base plate and by the toggle action of lever 252 and link 258 on the clamp 262 at its center. Afiter this has been accomplished, the front or lower sash 64 is lowered into contact with the base plate, which serves to additionally hold the device down on the sill of the winow during the cleaning operation. By shifting the lever 252 to the right, the device will be unclamped and by lifting the right-side first, the lugs 250 will be released from engagement with the sash grooves, and the device may be transported to another window. For convenience in handling the device, handle 266 is provided, which is secured by rivets or screws 267 to the base plate.

(5)-THE AUTOMATIC STOP MECHANISM Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2-B, there are illustrated a motor 2, a starting pushbutton 300, a microswitch 301, a current inlet receptacle 302, and the electric circuit connecting them together. Both the pushbutton and the microswitch are wired normally open, and the motor can be energized either from the pushbutton or the microswitch. The receptacle 302 is connected to the house outlet by an extension electric cord (not shown) having an inserting plug at each end.

The automatic means for stopping the motor at the completion of the cycle of operations includes a ratchet wheel 303, a cam 304 pinned at 305 to ratchet wheel 303, a pawl-carrying member 306, a spring-pressed pawl 307 pivoted on a stud 308 fixed to the pawl-carrier 306, a spring-pressed ratchet retainer 309 hinged to a bracket 310' and fastened to the base plate by a screw 311 and an operating lever 312 which is pivotally held to bracket 14 by a shouldered screw 313 (FIG. 7), which lever has an upwardly extending angular projection 314 which is adapted for engagement with either grooves 315 formed on the periphery of the cam 304. A spring 316, connected with one end to the extension of said lever and with the other connected to a stud 317 fixed in the bracket 1-4, is effective in pushing the projection 31 4 into one of the two grooves 315 when it coincides therewith. Both cam 304 and ratchet wheel 303 are free to rotate on shaft 36. The pawl-carrying member 306 is secured at the left-end of shaft 36 by a pin 318; hence, it will move in unison With the cam 40 which is pinned at the right-end of the same shaft. The spring-pressed ratchet retainer 309 is effective in maintaining the position of the ratchet wheel during the periodic retrogression of the member 306 and its spring-pressed pawl 307 (see FIG. 8). The free end of the lever 312 is provided with a bent-over portion 319 which is adapted to periodically press down the contact-making 16 button or pin 320 of the microswitch 301, which is secured by lateral bolts 321 and nuts 322 passing through the switch to an angle bracket 323 fixed to the base plate by screws 324.

It will be recalled that normal motion of shaft 36, to which both the member 306 and the cam 40 are locked, is arranged for partial rotation of about 60 degrees in one direction then, after a regular interval (of 8 revolutions), in the reverse direction. Consequently, the member 306, moving in conformity with the shaft 36, will carry the pawl 307 backward over teeth of the ratchet wheel 303 and then forward engaging this time a tooth of the ratchet and advancing it a distance equivalent to two teeth, against the resiliency of the spring-pressed retainer 309. As hereinbefore described, the shaft 36 makes two alternationsback and forthfor each of the cleaning, rinsing anddrying operations, or six alternations in a cycle; and hence, the pawl-carrying member 306 will advance the ratchet wheel 12 teeth during the same period of time (2 teeth 6 alternations). There being 24 teeth on the ratchet wheel 303, it Will make one-half revolution per cycle of operation. Since there are two diametrically opposite grooves 315 on the cam 304, at the beginning of the cyclebefore the pushbutton 300 is pressed downone groove will be in engagement with the angular projection 314, and thereby the microswitch will be in off position. But as soon as the starting pushbutton is pressed down, the motor 2 will cause the geared mechanism to operate and the cam 304 will push the lever 312 down, which will depress the contact-making pin 320 of the microswitch setting it in on position. Since the motor is so connected as to be in electric circuit either through the pushbutton or the microswitch, after the operator has removed his finger from the pushbutton, cutting off thereby the current at that point, the circuit will remain closed by the microswitch until the completion of the cycle, when the lever 312 will again be pushed upward into the second groove 315 of said cam by the spring 316, setting the microswitch also in off position.

In order that the mechanism of the device may adequately be shielded from dust and protected against accidental damage, a protective cover or housing is provided, which comprises a hollow body 350 (FIG. 1) having a reinforced strip 351 secured to it by spotwelding or rivets along its interior edge, which strip has bent-over portions or lugs 352, at certain convenient places, by which the housing is secured to the base plate by screws 353. Clearance cut-outs may be provided where necessary, as shown at 354 in FIGS. 3 and 2-A.

In recapitulation, after the device has been placed on the sill of a Window to be cleaned and clamped thereon by a shift of a lever, and the front sash lowered down on the base plate, the position of the device will always be in the center of the Window and parallel to sashes, without any adjustment being necessary. Then the electric cord is connected to the house current outlet, and the operator presses the starting pushbutton, causing the motor to be energized, air compressed, and by means of the poweroperated and power-controlled mechanisms, the cleaning, rinsing and drying processes will be simultaneously performed on the exterior surface of both sashes, with or without mullions indifferently, in the predetermined sequence and relative duration, automatically, safely from the interior of the room, economically and efiiciently, and then stopped, likewise automatically, ready for the next cycle of operations at another window.

It is believed that the present device, which is illustrated in great detail and described with minute particularity, practically solves the long sought solution to the problem, that of cleaning and drying the exterior surface of windows of public and private buildings, by eliminating the drudgery and the hazards of accidents inherent during the performance of such task by the hitherto used methods, and substituting therefor an entirely automatic, pleasantly operating process.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the 17 invention, it is to be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, and that modifications and changes may be suggested to one skilled in the art, such modifications and changes being contemplated in the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A device for cleaning windows including those having mullions therein, comprising:

a base member adapted to be positioned on the sill of the window;

a supporting means secured to said base member and extending vertically therefrom in spaced relation to the window;

a carriage;

means for mounting said carriage on said vertically extending supporting means for vertical reciprocation first in one direction and then in the opposite direction along said supporting means;

an arm having an axis of rotation and a fluid nozzle spaced outwardly therefrom and angularly directed towards said window;

said carriage having a pivotal support for mounting said arm for rotation about said axis of rotation;

the spacing of said fluid nozzle from said axis of rotation being suflicient to cause fluid to be directed over the entire surface of the window being cleaned;

driving means for cyclically moving said carriage first in said one direction and then in said opposite direction along said supporting means and for concurrently rotating said arm and said nozzle about said axis of rotation;

a source means for a plurality of fluids;

means for supplying fluid under pressure to said nozzle to be directed thereby upon said window;

programming means for automatically producing a plurality of cycles of operation of said carriage in its operation first in said one direction and then in said other direction; and

fluid control means responsive to said programming means and actuated in accordance with movement of said carriage along said supporting means for sequentially applying one and then another of said plurality of said fluids to said window.

2. The device of claim 1 for cleaning windows wherein said arm includes an additional fluid nozzle spaced outwardly from said axis of rotation and directed towards said window, said axis of rotation being intermediate and substantially aligned with each said nozzle.

3. The device of claim 1 in which said source means for said plurality of fluids includes a source of compressed air, a source of cleaning liquid, and a source of rinsing liquid.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said source means of said plurality of fluids includes a first reservoir for cleaning fluid and a second reservoir for rinsing fluid; and includes automatic valve means under the control of said fluid control means, said automatic valve means positioned between said first reservoir and said second reservoir to prevent backflow and intermixing of the fluids therein during the sequential cycling of said fluid control means.

5. The device of claim 1 further including automatic shut-off means actuated in response to a predetermined number of cycles of operation of said fluid nozzle along said window being cleaned.

6. The device of claim 1 further including clamping means for rigidly securing said base member to the sill of said window; and

an adjustable extension support telescopically disposed within the upper end of said supporting means to provide support therefor when said extension support is extended into firm engagement with the upper portions of the frame of the window being cleaned.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 326,197 9/1885 Bothner 134-172 551,186 12/1895 Goldner 15-250.04 893,231 7/ 1908 Fluegelman 15-103 1,114,592 10/1914 De Witt 15-302 1,662,887 3/1928 Harris 15--103 1,730,030 10/1929 Bernstein 15250.04 1,924,922 8/1933 Gehrig 15250.01 2,021,069 11/ 1935 Lenhart 15103 2,171,721 9/1939 Bingell 15---103 XR 2,268,253 12/1941 Hill et a1. 15250.04 2,634,448 4/1953 Puma 15250.04 2,639,455 5/1953 Schwarzmann 15-250.04 2,693,609 11/1954 Briceno 15--103 2,940,110 6/1960 Neal 15250.04 3,019,801 2/1962 Peterson 134-94 MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner.

I. T. ZATARGA, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,444 ,580 May 20, 1969 Leon Paul Black It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 17, "there of" should read thereof Column 4, line 33, after "lines" insert a comma. Column 5, line 74, "screwged should read screwed Column 6, line 7, "cottor" should read cotter Column 10, line 33, "mainatined" should read maintained line 54, "loaded should read located Column 12, line 47, "feather-valve 200" should read feather-valve 220 line 61, "driving" should read drying Column 13, line 9, "6O revolutions" should read 48 revolutions line 14, "60 revolutions" should read 24 revolutions line 57, "inclined" should read incline Column 14, line 22, "grass" should read glass line 37, "then" should read when Signed and sealed this 24th day of February 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

